NOTEBOOK: Hoosiers Seek to Stay Sharp for Rose Bowl Opportunity
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Rose Bowl Game looms with either Oklahoma (10-2) or Alabama (10-3) as the New Year’s Day opponent and head coach Curt Cignetti and his top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers (13-0) seek to make more history.
The glow from the unprecedented Big Ten championship, and the 13-10 victory over No. 1 Ohio State that created it, delivering the chance to play in their second Rose Bowl (IU lost to No. 1 USC 14-7 in the 1968 game) remains fresh, exciting and even draining for Cignetti, his staff, and players.
“It was a heavyweight brawl,” Cignetti says. “I’m proud of the way our team played. It wasn’t a perfect game, but it was a hard-fought game. It was a great win for the program.
That great win delivers an even greater challenge -- win IU’s first ever football national championship, joining the ones the Hoosiers have won in men’s basketball, men’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving, and wrestling.
Doing so will include overcoming last year’s playoff reality -- all four teams that earned opening round byes lost in their first playoff game. No. 1 seed Oregon lost to eventual national champion Ohio State; No. 2 seed Georgia lost to Notre Dame; No. 3 seed Boise State lost to Penn State, and No. 4 seed Arizona State lost to Texas.
IU faces a nearly month-long break. It will play an opponent with one playoff victory and that is more recently battle tested.
The goal is to get the players the rest they need while maintaining their fitness, sharpness, and toughness.
Cignetti says the Hoosiers will treat the first half of the break like a typical off week.
“We'll practice enough to stay sharp, get the rest and recovery in, get the weights in.
“Once we figure out who we're going to play (No. 9 seed Alabama plays at No. 8 Oklahoma on Dec. 19), then we'll be able to hone in and go into game plan mode, game plan practice mode.
“We'll essentially get two full weeks in of opponent prep. We'll get a Monday through Thursday in, then get a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday in here. We've already been through Thursday once. Thursday and Friday, we'll get that when we get out there.”
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s performance Saturday night -- -- was his final chance to impress Heisman Trophy voters. He has thrown for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 71.5 percent of his passes.
Finalists will be announced Monday night. The announcement comes Saturday in New York City.
IU has never had a Heisman winner. Its closest came in 1988, when All-American running back Anthony Thompson finished second.
“I don't want to go in deep depth with the Heisman,” Mendoza says, “but I remember Coach Cignetti brought me in after, I think it was after UCLA, and he told me the Heisman is a team award. It's not a player award.
“I would love the opportunity to get the invite to New York. It would be fantastic. But it's just really a testament to the team. It speaks a testament to how much this team has had that never-ending process of learning and getting better.”
Mendoza has made a big improvement under the guidance of Cignetti, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, and quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer.
Mendoza’s playing style, Cignetti says, blends well with Shanahan’s play calling.
“Fernando has the ability to extend plays. He's throwing the long ball really well right now.
“When you have a guy that can get out of trouble and extend the play, he makes the offensive coordinator look real good.
“I thought Mike did a great job (against Ohio State) in dialing up plays. It's kind of a group effort. One of Mike's strengths is he draws on everybody. Of course, I'm still in there doing my thing.
“Offensive line coach Bob Bostad) pretty much does the run game for the most part. We kind of all get together on the pass game, the various other elements of it, screens, RPOs, et cetera.
“Mike's demeanor is … such a likable guy. He doesn't really have an ego. He does a great job coaching receivers. Has done a great job as coordinator.”
IU played in last season’s playoffs, losing in the first round at Notre Dame. That experience, Cignetti says, should help the Hoosiers.
“The second time through, you're always better. This one's a little different because you got a little more time off.
“But like every other experience from our first year, the returners all learn from those. Some of the newcomers have been in this situation before.
“It's only going to help us. This is a different team that's overcome some hurdles last year's team didn't. We're Big Ten champs. We beat the No. 1 ranked team in the country. We beat the No. 2 ranked team in the country at the time (Oregon) on the road. I’m proud of what we've accomplished.”
IU beat Ohio State without a perfect performance. Struggles included a missed field goal, an interception, and costly penalties.
“They didn't play perfectly either," Cignetti says of Ohio State. "They missed a field goal that was kind of a chip shot down there at the end that could have tied the game. We missed one, which was uncharacteristic. The interception, which led to their first score on a short field, could have been prevented.
“It was a great effort. When you play a great team, they're going to make plays, you're going to make plays. You just got to make one more than they do.”
Veteran receiver Omar Cooper Jr. was injured early against Ohio State. Cignetti says the injury doesn’t appear to be serious.
“We don't expect it to be anything. We don't think there was anything that happened in the game that will affect our next game.”
In other words, he should be ready for the Rose Bowl.
IU’s dominating defense shut down an Ohio State attack that ranked among the nation’s best. That’s a style that has been refined under Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines since 2019, first at James Madison, then at IU.
“We attack,” Cignetti says. “We move a lot up front. Tackles for loss, sacks, stop the run is the emphasis. There's a lot of line movement. We were very disruptive.
“(Against Ohio State) we hit the quarterback three of the first 10 plays. We picked one (pass) off early. It was a great play by (safety) Lou Moore. Twice (Ohio State) got down there in the low red zone and came away with maybe three points. It's just an attacking style play on defense and Coach Haines does a great job.”
xLinebacker Rolijah Hardy excelled against Ohio State. He totaled a team-leading 10 tackles, including a sack, and a crucial pass breakup in the end zone that prevented a late Buckeye touchdown. That play proved even bigger when Ohio State then missed a 27-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the score.
“He’s a good young player that played really well on a huge stage," Cignetti says. "It just tells you a lot about him. He has two years remaining. He’s a key guy to keep around.”